Methods and arrangements for communication between advertising and advertisement responding wireless devices

Abstract

An advertising wireless device ( 110 ) broadcasts ( 202; 802 ) an advertising message over a wireless communication link ( 115 ). The advertising wireless device receives ( 203 a; 803 ), from an advertisement responding device ( 120 - 1 ), a request message that was sent by the advertisement responding device ( 120 - 1 ) at a certain point in time in response to the broadcasted advertising message. Said certain point in time being randomized within a listening time period during which the advertising wireless device ( 110 ) listens for a response to the broadcasted advertising message and is able to receive the request message.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, performed by an advertising wireless device, for communicating with one or more advertisement responding wireless devices over a wireless communication link, the method comprising:
 broadcasting an advertising message over the wireless communication link; 
 receiving, from an advertisement responding device, a request message that was sent by the advertisement responding device at a certain point in time in response to the broadcasted advertising message, the certain point in time being randomized within a listening time period during which the advertising wireless device listens for a response to the broadcasted advertising message and is able to receive the request message; and 
 determining or adjusting the listening time period based on interference associated with the wireless communication link, wherein the broadcasted advertising message comprises information identifying the listening time period. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication link is a low power, short range wireless communication link, and/or is based on BLUETOOTH Low Energy. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the listening time period is based on at least one of a predefined and/or predetermined value. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the listening time period is further based on load associated with the wireless communication link. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving additional one or more request messages from one or more additional advertisement responding devices; and 
 buffering, during the listening time period, the received request message and the received additional one or more request messages. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising communicating, after lapse of the listening period and in response to at least one of the buffered request messages, with at least one of the advertisement responding device and/or the one or more additional advertisement responding devices. 
     
     
       7. A method, performed by an advertisement responding wireless device, for communicating with an advertising wireless device over a wireless communication link, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the advertising device, an advertising message broadcasted by the advertising device over the wireless communication link; and 
 sending, to the advertising device at a certain point in time, a request message in response to the received advertising message, the certain point in time being randomized within a listening time period during which the advertising wireless device listens for a response to the broadcasted advertising message and is able to receive the request message, wherein the listening time period is based on interference associated with the wireless communication link, wherein the received advertising message comprises information identifying the listening time period. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the wireless communication link is at least one of a low power, short range wireless communication link and/or based on BLUETOOTH Low Energy. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the listening time period is based on at least one of a predefined and/or predetermined value. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising communicating with the advertising wireless device based on the advertising wireless device having received the request message. 
     
     
       11. An advertising wireless device for communicating with one or more advertisement responding wireless devices over a wireless communication link, the advertising wireless device comprising:
 processing circuitry; 
 memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the advertising wireless device is operative to:
 broadcast an advertising message over the wireless communication link; and 
 receive, from an advertisement responding device, a request message that was sent by the advertisement responding device at a certain point in time in response to the broadcasted advertising message, the certain point in time being randomized within a listening time period during which the advertising wireless device listens for a response to the broadcasted advertising message and is able to receive the request message, wherein the listening time period is based on interference associated with the wireless communication link, wherein the broadcasted advertising message comprises information identifying the listening time period. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The advertising wireless device of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication link is at least one of a low power, short range wireless communication link and/or based on BLUETOOTH Low Energy. 
     
     
       13. The advertising wireless device of  claim 11 , wherein the listening time period is based on at least one of a predefined and/or predetermined value. 
     
     
       14. The advertising wireless device of  claim 11 , where the instructions are such that the advertising wireless device is further configured to determine or adjust the listening time period based on load associated with the wireless communication link. 
     
     
       15. An advertisement responding wireless device for communicating with an advertising wireless device over a wireless communication link, the advertisement responding wireless device comprising:
 processing circuitry; 
 memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the advertisement responding wireless device is operative to:
 receive, from the advertising device, an advertising message broadcasted by the advertising device over the wireless communication link; and 
 send, to the advertising device at a certain point in time, a request message in response to the received advertising message, the certain point in time being randomized within a listening time period during which the advertising wireless device listens for a response to the broadcasted advertising message and is able to receive the request message, 
 wherein the listening time period is based on interference associated with the wireless communication link, and 
 wherein the advertising message comprises information identifying the listening time period. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The advertisement responding wireless device of  claim 15 , wherein the wireless communication link is at least one of a low power, short range wireless communication link and/or based on BLUETOOTH Low Energy. 
     
     
       17. The advertisement responding wireless device of  claim 15 , wherein the listening time period is based on at least one of a predefined and/or predetermined value.